Railway tie



D. B. MACNEIR Aug. 11, 1931.,

" RAILWAY TIE Original Filed Sept. 28. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 aff /7 y INVENTOR:

7o/w71. 0 Mwf/f ATTORAWS.`

Aug. 11, 11931.

D. B. MACNEIR RAILWAY TIE Original Filed Sept. 28, 1929 2 Sheets--Sheev 2 l N VEN TOR U 5am/7m 5min/.

Patented Aug. 11, 1931 tra raras Ferca DONALD B. MACNEIR, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Original application filed September 28, 1929, Serial No. 395,918. Divided and this application filed June '7, 1930.

My invention relates to a novel construction in railway ties, and their adjuncts, the primary object of which resides in means for yieldingly supporting railway rails upon concrete or similar blocks in lieu of the usual wood ties, and for securely fastening the rails to said blocls, this application being a division with slight modification 0f a contemporaneously pending application filed by me September 28, 1929, Serial No. 395,918.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a rail tie in which a cushion block is interposed between the base of the rail and the top of the concrete block for allowing the rail to yield downwardly as the rolling stock passes thereover and to arrest any shock or strain which might tend to fracture the concrete or other block.

A. further object is to provide a U-shaped member embedded in the concrete or other base or block, the legs of which extend above the top of the block and straddle the sides of of rail to receive a novel construction of clamping lugs which lock thereon and engage the flanges of the rail to maintain the same in position upon its cushioned seat.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and Organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 represents a vertical transverse sectional view through a road bed showing a pair of rails supported upon my novel ties.

Fig. 2 represents an enlarged vertical transverse sectional view through one of the rails and its support.

Fig. 3 represents a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 4 represents an enlarged detail vertical sectional view through one of the rail clamping lugs and its correlated parts.

Serial No. 459,661.

Fig. 5 represents a detail horizontal sectional view on the line 5?-5 of Fig. 4.

Figs. 6 to 10 represent details to be hereinafter referred to.

Referring to the drawings, 10 and 11 designate a pair of spaced opposed concrete or other blocks which are identical in construction so that a description of one will suflice for the other.

rlhe side walls of each of the blocks taper or converge upwardly so that the base of each block is larger than the top thereof. Einbeddedin each of the concrete blocks 10 and 11 is a substantially vertically disposed U-shaped member 12, the legs 13 of which extend above the top face of the block and which legs are square at their upper portions in cross section for a purpose to be presently explained. The inner side faces of the legs 13 are provided with ratchet teeth 14, which ratchet teeth terminate short of the ends of the legs, and which ends at their upper portions are square in crosssection as indicated at 15 up to their tops.

Seated upon the top of each of the concrete blocks 10` and 11 is a cushion member or block 17, which may be made of wood, semi-hard rubber or zernat-hereum, or any other suitable yieldable substance. The cushion blocks 17 are disposed between the legs 13 of the respective i-shapedl members and act as yieldable seats for the railway rails 18 of the usual well known construction. The inner and outer sides of the cushion blocks project beyond the base flanges ofthe rail and are recessed as at 19, as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings and in dotted lines in Figure 2 thereof, and'in Fig. 9.

Slidably mounted on the legs 13 of the respective U-shaped members 12 are rail clamping clips 20, each of which includes aninwardly extending lip 21 and a downwardly extending lug 22. The body of each clamping clip 20 is provided with a vertically disposed square. opening 23, one wall of which is Vprovided with a series of ratchetA teeth 24 for coacting engagement with the series of ratchet teeth 14-provided on the respective legs 13. The square openings 23 in the clamping clips 20 are slightly larger than the cross sectional area of the squared portion of the legs 13 to permit vertical sliding of the clips relative to the legs to facilitate movement of the same to an adjusted position in clamping engagement with the lxau +116 Clniy \`1l) ing clips 20 are in clamping engagement with the base flanges of the rails 18, as shown in the drawings. the lugs 22 are received in the recesses 19 to permit the lip 21 and the lugs 22 to snugly engage the flange of the rail and the cushion member 17 to prevent shifting of one relative to the other. Should it be desired to replace a rail 18, the legs 13 of the U-shaped member 12 are bent outwardly to allow the clamping clips 2O to be raised to a plane level with the rounded portion 15 thereon whereupon the said clamping clips may be readily7 manipulated so that upon lifting of the rails, the same may clear the clamping clips as will be readily appreciated.

For the purpose of bracing the two opposed concrete blocks 10 and 11, I provide the inner leg or both 13 of each of the U-shaped members 12 of the respective blocks 10 and 11 with a link or strap 2st, the outer end of which extends beyond the inner side of the block and is formed with an eye 25. The inner portion of each strap 24 is also provided with eyes 2G through which the leg 13 to which it is connected passes. By referring to Figure 1 of the drawings it will be noted that the eyes 25 of the links 24 embedded in the blocks 10 and 11 extend inwardly toward each other and are disposed in substantial alinement. Connected to the eyes 25 is a tie rod 27, the opposite ends of which terminate in eyes 28 which engage the eyes 25 to provide a loose or flexible connection between the opposed concrete or other blocks 10 and 11. The tic rod 27 acts to retain the opposed concrete blocks in position against inward or outward spreading but allows a limited amount of movement between the same which is necessary during the passage of rolling stock over the rails. From the foregoing 'description it will be understood that I have constructed al railway tie having the yielding qualities of the well known wood tic, but wherein concrete blocks act as the base thereof for embedment in the roadbed and which will be found to have longer life than the commonly used wood tie. By 'cushioning the rails upon the concrete block, any shock or vibration caused by rolling stock passing over the rails will be taken up, thus preventing the same from passing to the concrete block which otherwise might cause fracture thereof. It might also be mentioned that the interlocking ratchet teeth between the clamping clips and the legs 13 of the U-shaped member 12 per- `mit positive clamping of the rail to its cushion seat and due to" the angularity of the teeth, the said clamping clips may be easily adjusted to clamping position with engagement with the base flanges of the rail, but are prevented from any accidental upward meven'ient er looseniag which might be caused bv the continuel.vibration caused by the rolling stoel; passing over the rails. The coaction of the ratchet teeth obviously prevents separation of the clamping clips from their respective legs 13.

It will be apparent that while I preferably employ the U-shaped construction, best seen in Figure 2, anchored in the concrete, I may if desired, employ equivalent constructions, such as a pair of parallel substantially vertically disposed limbs 13 suitably anchored in the concrete or other block, the bottoms of said members having deflected feet thereon corresponding to the horizontal limb of the U-shaped member 12.

1t will also be understood that while I have described the blocks 11 as being preferably of concrete or cement, any other suitable equivalent material can be employed which will set or harden, it being understood that the U-shaped members 12 or the vertical limbs 13 and the straps 24: are positioned in the concrete, cement, or the like, while the latter is in plastic condition and allowed to harden so that said legs 13 will be immovably anchored in position, but their upper ends, however, are capable of being slightly flexed by a hammer or suitable implement when it is desired to assemble the locking clips in position, or to remove said locking lugs from their engagement with the base of the rail, or the legs 13.

y In practice, however, I prefer to employ the U-shaped members 12, since when thel latter are once assembled in the plastic concrete and allowed to set, both of the legs are properly positioned with respect to the cushion plate and the rail supported thereon.

t will be apparent from Figs. 2, el, and 6 that a multiplicity of ratchet teeth are at all times in engagement when the parts are assembled, so that a very eflicient and quick locking effected when the locking clips are in place. In order to add to the efficiency of my device at curves, I may employ the chair construction seen in Fig. 10 at the right of Fig. 2, and in Fig. 7, wherein 29 designates a chair having the base 30, the square or polygonal hole 31 therein, the upright wall 32 and the strengthening rib 33. As will be seen at the right of Figs. 2 and 10 the chair 29 is dropped over the squared leg 13 before the lug 2O is placed in position, the leg 13 passing through the hole 31, with the upright wall 32 fitting against the contiguous outer portion of said leg, which is forced against said wall when the lug 2O is next driven down and locked in place, as seen at the right of Figs. 2 and 10. rllhe desired number of chairs 29 are used in conjunction with the outer rail at curves to counteract centrifugal forces of the weight or load on the outer rail at such curves as will be understood from the right hand portion of Fig. l0. The outer base flange 30, which rests on the top of the block l1, and the upright wall 32 obviously serve effectively to resist any stresses tending to shift the outer or right hand rail seen in Fig. 10, and assist to retain the coacting lug 2O at all times in locked condition and in proper engagement with the base of the rail, as seen at the right of Fig. 2. rlhe squared or polygonal holes 23 and 31 coact with the squared legs 13, so that there is no improper lateral shifting of said clips with respect to said legs, when the parts are assembled as is evident. The chairs 29 can be employed in connection with both clips if desired or in conjunction with both the inner and outer rails. I preferably position the strap 24 at a point well above the bottom of the U-shaped members 12, substantially as seen in Figs. l, 2, and 3, as this construction enables the tie rod 27 to function with better advantage, as is evident.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had t-o the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A rail fastening device, comprising a fixed U-shaped member, a cushioning block supported between the legs of said member, the upper ends of said legs projecting above said block and being provided with ratchet teeth, and clamping clips carried by said legs of said U-shaped member and having ratchet teeth enga-ging said former ratchet teeth, said clips being adapted to engage the base of a rail.

2. In a railroad tie construction, a pair of spaced opposed concrete blocks, cushion blocks on the top of said concrete blocks, rails seated on the respective cushion blocks, U-shaped members embedded in said concrete blocks and having their legs straddling the respective rails, clamping clips carried by the respective legs of said members and engaging the flanges of said rails, and ratchet teeth common to said clamping clips and the respective legs for locking the same in an adjusted position thereon.

3. In a railroad tie construction, the combination of a concrete block, a rail seated thereon, a substantially U-shaped member embedded in said concrete block having its legs extending thereabove adjacent opposite sides of the base of said rail, clamping clips carried by theplegs of said U-shaped member, and interlocking ratchet teeth common to said clamping clips and the respective legs of said U-shaped member for securing said clamping clips in clamping engagement with the base flanges of said rail. y

V4. In a railroad tie construction, the combination of a concrete block, a rail seated thereon, a substantially U-shaped member embedded in said concret-e block having its legs extending thereabo-ve adjacent opposite sides of the base of said rail, clamping clips carried by the legs of said U-shaped member, and interlocking means between said clamping clips and the respective legs of said U- shaped member for securing said clamping clips in clamping engagement with the base flanges of said rail, said interlocking means including coacting ratchet teeth provided on the legs of said U-shaped member and in one of the walls of openings provided in said clamping lugs.

5. A rail fastening device comprising a pair of fixed vertical substantially parallel legs, a cushioning block supported between said legs, the upper ends of said legs projecting above said block and being provided on their opposed surfaces with ratchet teeth, and clamping clips carried by said legs and having ratchet teeth engaging the ratchet teeth of said legs, said clips being' adapted to engage the base of a. rail.

6. A rail fastening device comprising a pair of fixed vertical substantially parallel legs, a cushioning block supported between said legs and having end recesses therein, the upper ends of said legs projecting above said block and having rectilinear faces .provided with ratchet teeth, and clamping clips carried by said legs and having ratchet teeth engaging the ratchet teeth of said legs, said clips having extending portions adapted to engage the base of a rail, and pendant portions interlocked in the end recesses of said cushioning block.

7. A rail fastening device comprising a pair of fixed substantially vertical parallel legs, a cushioning block supported between said legs, the upper legs projecting above said block and being provided on their opposed surfaces with ratchet teeth, and clamping clips carried by said legs and having ratchet teeth engaging the ratchet teeth of said legs, said clips being adapted to engage the base of a rail, in combination with a chair interlocked with the outer of said legs and provided with a base wall and an upright wall contacting with the outer surface of said outer leg.

8. A rail fastening device comprising a pair of fixed vertical substantially parallel legs, a cushioning block supported between said legs and having end recesses therein, the upper ends of said legs projecting above said block and having rectilinear faces provided ivithratchet teeth, and clamping clips carried by said legs and having ratchet teeth engaging the ratchet teeth of said legs, said clips having extending portions adapted to engage the base of a rail, and pendant portions interlocked in the end recesses of said cushioning block, in combination with a chair interlocked with the outer of said legs and provided With abaserwall and an upright Wall contacting with the outer surface of said outer leg.

9. A rail fastening device, comprising a fixed U-shaped member having upright legs of polygonal shape at their upper portions, a cushioning block supported between said legs Whose upper ends project above said block, ratchet teeth on the inner faces of said legs, clamping clips carried by said legs and having ratchet teeth engaging the ratchet teeth of said legs, and a chair having a base interlocked With one of said legs and an upright Wall engaging the outer surfacel of said contiguous leg.

DONALD B. MACNEIR. 

